Read PS Ruckman at Pardon Power
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
LIFE FOR POT – RELEASE NONVIOLENT DRUG
OFFENDERS
100
Hale Rd. Zanesville, OH. 43701
http://www.lifeforpot.com
March 8, 2014
Honorable Patti B Saris
Chairman
United States Sentencing Commission
One Columbus Circle, N.E.
Suite 2-500, South Lobby
Washington, D.C. 20002-8002
Re: Comments
Dear Judge Saris:
Life for Pot has the focused cause of advocating
for sentencing relief for nonviolent drug offenders who have been sentenced to
Life without Parole in the Federal System for nonviolent marijuana
offenses. We expand our advocacy to all
nonviolent drug offenders who have been sentenced to Life without Parole.
Life without parole for marijuana is a
particularly inappropriate sentence in light of the changing attitude toward
this drug. Many states have legalized
the use of this plant by various degrees and two states have legalized
recreational use. This situation precipitates
a particularly ludicrous dilemma. If the
Justice Department prosecutes individuals in these states that have some degree
of legalization, it is defying the will of the residents of the state. If it does not prosecute individuals
violating the Federal prohibition, it makes a mockery of Federal Law.
It is unfathomable that marijuana is on the
Controlled Substance Act Schedule and even more unscientific that it is a Schedule
I drug. It is inappropriate that nonviolent
marijuana offenders are being sentenced to die in federal prison chained to a
hospital bed for a nonviolent marijuana offense.
I would like to be able to talk about this
sentencing relief in a theoretical and rational way describing how a tweak here
and a nuance there will show the way toward solving the problem, but on a human
level, that is not possible.
We have non-violent federal inmates serving
these unconscionable sentences who are in their senior years. If these laws and sentences are simply parsed
and slowly adjusted, it will not speak to a fair and just sentence for these
inmates. Their time is running out and
the runway is short.
The decisions for release should not be in
the domain of the BOP. These nonviolent
offenders are placed in high security facilities in the federal system on the
basis of the length of their sentences.
In spite of years of incarceration without an incident many remain at
this security level. The BOP has no
incentive to reduce the security level, and have not demonstrated that they
have any interest in other circumstances that would make inmates eligible for
relief.
History demonstrates that The Justice
Department also needs the inmate population and mandatory sentencing to expand
the scope of its authority. Perhaps
attitudes are changing, but our senior inmates cannot wait.
The only way to restore our faith in mercy
and justice is a grand, dramatic, bold suggestion. It is the right thing to do.
Thank you for your work and for taking time
to read these comments. We trust that
you will work toward the restoration of justice in sentencing reform
Yours,
Beth Curtis
Director
Life for Pot
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